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April is Financial Literacy Month, and whether you're a money guru or just someone who wants to know more, you can get involved.

Financial knowledge is important. Just 57 percent of American adults are financially literate, according to the 2015 S&P Global Financial Literacy Survey. That ranks 14th in the world – far behind such nations as Denmark (71 percent), Canada (68 percent), Israel (68 percent), Germany (66 percent) and Australia (64 percent). Clearly, Americans can do better, and we should.

How can you help? Here are a few ways you can make a difference during Financial Literacy Month.

"The scholarship provided to me by The Association of Former Students through your generous support has not only been an immense gift for me, but for my family as well. When I first received word of the scholarship, it gave me hope that achieving a college education was a possibility. You have provided me with the opportunity to achieve my dreams of becoming a mechanical engineer in hopes of providing a better future for my current and future family. I hope to one day be able to give back to the university that has given so much to me. Thank you so much."

Millennials have to endure many stereotypes. They are often labeled lazy, entitled and even narcissistic.

Zach Swartz, an older millennial himself and portfolio manager with BKD Wealth Advisors in Springfield, Missouri, isn't sure the generation really deserves to be singled out in that way. "Sometimes millennials can be painted as very different from other generations when they're not," he says.

Case in point: the money management mistakes commonly made by millennials. The following six mistakes aren't so different from the financial gaffes made by older adults.

"Jamie McKnight, 35, a mother of two, filed her federal tax return in late January, expecting to get a roughly $9,700 refund that would help her pay for rent, health care expenses and other bills," USA Today reports. "What the Kingston, N.Y., resident didn't anticipate was that nothing would show up in her bank account."

"McKnight soon discovered that the government had seized the money to apply to her overdue student loans, which she said total roughly $20,000. She says she didn't know the loans were in default, or that the feds could repay the debt with her refund.

'I waited for it to hit my account, and nothing happened,' she said. 'It's frustrating because this was supposed to be our safety net.'

April is Financial Literacy Month. You might suspect there is a problem with financial literacy in America, if an entire month is dedicated to it! And you would be right.

April is an opportune time to look at three efforts that may have a chance to combat financial illiteracy. These are chosen because of their scalability and capacity to make a real difference for financial literacy in America.

Students preparing to begin college and take more control over their personal finances in many cases lack the skills and knowledge to make responsible financial decisions and repay their student loans, according to a new survey from EverFi.

The survey collected data from a nationally representative sample of more than 100,000 incoming college students — most from four-year institutions — in more than 410 institutions across the country. Overall, the survey found that most respondents struggled to answer basic financial literacy questions, and on average only answered two of six questions correctly.

It’s truly an honor to stand by your friend’s side as she exchanges vows with her beloved and takes her first steps toward marital bliss. If only those precious moments could make up for the exorbitant costs that come with being a part of her special day.

Members of the wedding party spend an average of $728 on gifts, travel and attire for the wedding, bachelor or bachelorette party and shower, according to a new Bankrate report.

The average price varies depending on where you live. Northeastern wedding party members should be prepared to shell out even more than that, with an average all-in cost of $1,070 to participate in all three events.

While those figures may be eye-boggling, it’s actually an extremely conservative estimate.

Almost time to start paying back your student loans? Contrary to popular belief, your student loan payments don’t have to stop you from living your life. You just have to weigh your options and find a strategy that works within your budget. Here are some steps to get you started.

Filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, known as the FAFSA, is one of the most important steps students and their families can take to pay for college.

In fact, the U.S. Department of Education awards around $150 billion in financial aid annually to help students pay for their education at 6,000 colleges, universities and career schools. This aid comes in the form of grants, student loans and work-study funds. In other words, funds can be awarded, such as with a grant; borrowed; or earned through work experience.

While the Department of Education has streamlined the FAFSA process over the last two decades, students and parents often have questions about the form. Here's what to know about the FAFSA.

After a summer internship at CNBC writing about personal finance, I left for a semester abroad armed with plenty of information to better manage my money. But now that I've been in Spain for a few months, I've found there's a lot I didn't know.

Here are six key lessons I've learned about how to manage money while studying abroad.